I try to be as accommodating as
possible when it comes to special diets. My husband is vegetarian,
my brother is vegan and gluten intolerant, my mom follows the American
Heart Association diet, my dad is diabetic, and I have a few food
intolerances myself. Oh, and my sister-in-law doesn't really love
vegetables. Honestly, I think my mom just throws up her hands in
despair when we all get together for a meal... which is why handling the
menu often falls to me! Needless to say, I have learned a whole lot
about making substitutions to fit a variety of special diets, and --
hopefully- making things taste good no matter what the dietary
restrictions. Throughout the website, when I refer to special diets
I will use the following abbreviations:

WF: This means "wheat-free", though not necessarily gluten-free. There is
a difference, and for individuals with celiac sprue, it is a vital
distinction. Celiac diets require foods to be completely gluten-free, and
gluten is found in many ingredients other than just wheat. I often use a
white spelt pastry flour made by Vita-spelt and highly recommend it as a
substitute for white flour, because it doesn't give baked goods the extra
density (which I describe as "the doorstop effect", as in "It's so dense
you could use it as a doorstop") often found with other alternative flours
not specifically designed for pastry; while this flour is great for
wheat-free diets, it is glutinous and not acceptable for those with a
gluten intolerance.

GF:As I mentioned above,
gluten-free is the diet requirement for those with celiac disease, and it is
this diet to which I am referring with this abbreviation. I am still
experimenting with various gluten-free alternatives, searching for that
elusive "perfect flour blend" that will satisfy my high standards...
and my determination never to have one of my cakes used as a doorstop!
So far, the "Gluten-Free Pantry" and "Bob's Red Mill" are leading the pack
for "eatability", and "Namaste" makes a flour blend that isn't bad, though
I still think is had a bit of a grittiness to it.

D: A dietetic recipe should be
"low-glycemic"; in other words, the food should produce only small
fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. Diabetics
can-- and certainly should-- eat carbohydrates, but it is important to
choose carbs that slowly trickle glucose into the blood stream, keeping energy-- and insulin-- levels balanced. Whole grain options
are lower glycemic than the more refined versions often found in the
standard American diet, such as white flour and pasta. Sweeteners
also come into play, especially in baking-- no white sugar or high
fructose corn syrup in these recipes! I have used Splenda to
make frosting; however, I had to literally grind my own "powdered" Splenda
with a mortar and pestle because, as far as I can tell, there is no
powdered version on the market. (If anyone knows of a source for
powdered Splenda, please, please email me! It would certainly make
things much easier!) Some diabetics tolerate agave nectar well
because it is lower on the glycemic index, but this is not true for
everyone. Sometimes I have to try out a new recipe for my dad by
making it and serving it to him, and then having him check his blood sugar
to let me know whether it raised it too high. If it did, then it's
back to the drawing board for me. (If at first you don't
succeed, try,try again, right?)

AHA: When baking for my mom, I typically try to cut
down fat content and refined sugar in a recipe and to omit salt wherever
possible. Applesauce can be a great substitute for oil in baked
goods, for example, and I almost never use as much sugar as is called for
in any given recipe.

The American Heart Associationhas the following
recommendations:

Vegetables: at least 4
servings a day / Fruits: at least 4 servings a day / Grains:
choose whole grains, high fiber / Fish: at least 2 servings a week
Fats: Aim for <300mg cholesterol, <1% of total kcal transfat, <7%
of total kcal saturated fat / Salt: use little or no salt; aim at
2300 mg of sodium daily (~1 tsp of salt) / Sugar: minimize sugary
foods and drinks to < 5 servings a week / Alcohol: limit alcohol
intake to no more than 2 drinks a day for men, 1 drink a day for women.

Visit the AHA website's nutrition page to
see a more detailed description of the AHA diet recommendations:

V:When I use this
abbreviation, I am referring to a vegan diet: no meat, dairy, eggs or any
animal products whatsoever. Some-- but not all-- vegans also eschew
white sugar because it is processed through bone char, and honey because
it is the by-product of a living creature. If the vegan for whom you are
baking does not eat white sugar you can replace granulated sugar with
"raw" or turbinado sugar, which has a tannish color because it is less
refined. Confectioner's-- or powdered-- sugar is more refined even than
granulated white sugar, but you can find vegan powdered sugar in health
food stores. (At least for now, I have not mastered creating my own
vegan fondant; fortunately my brother will eat white sugar on special
occasions, which is why I have been able to make such funky birthday cakes
for him!) Honey can be replaced with maple syrup, barley malt or agave
nectar, but keep in mind that any of these substitutions will-- each in
their own distinct way-- substantially change the flavor of the finished
product. This is not necessarily a drawback, but it is something to
consider when deciding which substitution best suits the recipe, and the tastes of those
for whom one is baking.

VG:This denotes a vegetarian diet. All vegetarians refrain from eating
meat (this includes beef, pork, poultry, mutton, and fish-- or as Phoebe
said on the TV show Friends, "anything with a face"), but
there are some distinctions to be made. When I use this abbreviation I
will also specify whether the recipe is suitable for ovo-vegetarians,
lacto-vegetarians, or lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Here's a breakdown of
those terms for you:

For
anyone looking for a resource for vegetarian friendly accommodations or
restaurants while traveling, animal rights groups, health groups,
religious organizations, and about a gazillion other things related to
vegetarianism, here's the address for the International Vegetarian Union:
("Promoting Vegetarianism
Worldwide Since 1908"):